A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
32
34B
A8LR
Model 20
Model 80
I sold them at low dollar amounts before the big analog bubble, but only after refurbishing and calibrating each one over many man-hours of labor. The in-person demos were demonstrably tight. The buyers were very happy.
It's not that I wished I'd charged more, but I wish I hadn't sold them at all. Today I "can't afford" or rather disdain the idea of paying top dollar to replace these decks. Analog prices have gone crazy!
Fact is that I needed money at the time, I had not been using them & they were taking up space,... all the right reasons to sell. This was more than several years ago, but now I find myself on eBay ogling pictures and shaking my head in disgust. I won't pull the trigger unless I stumble upon a miracle sleeper deal, but if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Hard to find something in reasonably clean and workable condition, while not breaking the bank.
People think I am sitting on a goldmine, but I don't see it that way. I think today's sellers are being greedy. I may sell more carefully chosen gear in the future, but I think the market is over-inflated. I'd originally bought most of my gear when analog was at fire-sale lows, when Protools and MOTUs (etc) seemed to have made analog nearly worthless.,... for that period of time. Analog enthusiasts are a lot like a cult, but it seems it's growing again. Analog won't go away. New generations of people are craving this stuff, but for different reasons (seeking lofi) than I had (seeking hifi). I think inflated asking prices are just that, and real world sales run on at a much lower level in the background. I've gotten some fabulous deals on gear in the past, so no complaints. It seems ridiculous to buy in now. Remember "Flowerpot Guy" on eBay? People used to face-palm and shake their heads when they looked at his listings. Now every seller is like Flowerpot Guy.
A looming issue is that the real pros who repair and support analog are a dying breed. That's not to say there aren't some very bright and talented DIY'ers. (You know who you are).
I'm nostalgic, but I keep moving on. There was a purpose fulfilled when I sold those recorders. I'm trying to focus and get good use of the gear I still have. I don't visit this site often. I still love analog recording. I love playing music. Sometimes I like the idea of fixing things again. I've not given up. I just have to get my s#!t together. I'm looking toward better days. Appreciate the things you have and love the people around you. No re-do's in life!
There is no technical merit to this post. I don't have any questions or answers. It's more of a mental upload of ideas I get when on this site and others. Recording is fun, no matter how you get there. Stick with it while you have the passion. Life and time changes everything. Hello to all my old friends and acquaintences. Some have moved on, some are not longer with us, but the real core contributors are still here.
Thanks if you read down this far.
34B
A8LR
Model 20
Model 80
I sold them at low dollar amounts before the big analog bubble, but only after refurbishing and calibrating each one over many man-hours of labor. The in-person demos were demonstrably tight. The buyers were very happy.
It's not that I wished I'd charged more, but I wish I hadn't sold them at all. Today I "can't afford" or rather disdain the idea of paying top dollar to replace these decks. Analog prices have gone crazy!
Fact is that I needed money at the time, I had not been using them & they were taking up space,... all the right reasons to sell. This was more than several years ago, but now I find myself on eBay ogling pictures and shaking my head in disgust. I won't pull the trigger unless I stumble upon a miracle sleeper deal, but if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Hard to find something in reasonably clean and workable condition, while not breaking the bank.
People think I am sitting on a goldmine, but I don't see it that way. I think today's sellers are being greedy. I may sell more carefully chosen gear in the future, but I think the market is over-inflated. I'd originally bought most of my gear when analog was at fire-sale lows, when Protools and MOTUs (etc) seemed to have made analog nearly worthless.,... for that period of time. Analog enthusiasts are a lot like a cult, but it seems it's growing again. Analog won't go away. New generations of people are craving this stuff, but for different reasons (seeking lofi) than I had (seeking hifi). I think inflated asking prices are just that, and real world sales run on at a much lower level in the background. I've gotten some fabulous deals on gear in the past, so no complaints. It seems ridiculous to buy in now. Remember "Flowerpot Guy" on eBay? People used to face-palm and shake their heads when they looked at his listings. Now every seller is like Flowerpot Guy.
A looming issue is that the real pros who repair and support analog are a dying breed. That's not to say there aren't some very bright and talented DIY'ers. (You know who you are).
I'm nostalgic, but I keep moving on. There was a purpose fulfilled when I sold those recorders. I'm trying to focus and get good use of the gear I still have. I don't visit this site often. I still love analog recording. I love playing music. Sometimes I like the idea of fixing things again. I've not given up. I just have to get my s#!t together. I'm looking toward better days. Appreciate the things you have and love the people around you. No re-do's in life!
There is no technical merit to this post. I don't have any questions or answers. It's more of a mental upload of ideas I get when on this site and others. Recording is fun, no matter how you get there. Stick with it while you have the passion. Life and time changes everything. Hello to all my old friends and acquaintences. Some have moved on, some are not longer with us, but the real core contributors are still here.
Thanks if you read down this far.